Mumbai: Good news for Mumbaikars and daily commuters on Central line. Central Railway will soon get an updated AC local train. The new rake which will undergo extensive testing, will be pressed into service just before the onset of the summer season, providing some relief to commuters.
What will be different from the existing AC local train, is that some of its machinery will be located under the coach, known as the under-slung system.
What is a slung system?
A slung system train local is a train with electrical equipment located below the rake or under the train. This design aims to increase stability and save space. These trains are currently being run by the Western Railway.
In February 2025, these new trains will be added to the Central Railway, increasing the total number of AC trains to seven.
Is testing done?
According to News18 Marathi, a Central Railway official mentioned that after ''the new train will arrive in Mumbai soon, it will undergo testing for a few months. This is because the new train is different from the current AC trains on the Central Railway.
Testing on the Central Railway tracks is necessary. Due to the under-slung mechanism, there could be issues during the monsoon season. Additionally, Central Railway tracks are slightly lower than those of the Western Railway, and water tends to accumulate during the monsoon. Because of these reasons, Central Railway has avoided operating such locals until now. However, with this new train available, testing will be conducted on the Central Railway route''.
